Flatbed Trailer or Dropframe Trailer???

Hey all I'm a loader on the local sort at a small center. We usually do between 3k and 4k on a non peak night and 5k-7k on a peak night. We use to get dropframes all the the time, now we mostly get flatbeds. Just wanted to get opinions on what you loaders and unloaders out there like better. For me I like dropframes much better. What is your opinion???

I always preferred the drop frames as well. I got three load density t-shirts in those, was always good at filling up the entire space under the rollers and the flaps. Course, you also never forget the pain of dropping a flap on your ankle, now matter how many years have gone by.

My understanding is that the drop frames are slowly being fazed out and retired...

Hey all I'm a loader on the local sort at a small center. We usually do between 3k and 4k on a non peak night and 5k-7k on a peak night. We use to get dropframes all the the time, now we mostly get flatbeds. Just wanted to get opinions on what you loaders and unloaders out there like better. For me I like dropframes much better. What is your opinion???

Click to expand...

Well, I hate to break the news to those of you that like the drop frames, but they are fazing them out. UPS is going to all flat floors. I used to hate unloading them. Now I don't touch a package.

Does anyone ever see 40' drop frames in use? I have seen one with the new logo numbered as a pick up box and a couple painted tan and used on property but thats it. I remember when they were all over the place. I am noticing less and less 28' foot drop frames too. But like Chev said, they are all being fazed out.

When I unloaded many years ago I could never figure out something. On a dropframe; after you unload everything above the flaps towards the nose, and then you work your way back unloading what's under the flaps. Under that first flap (closest to the nose) was always an overweight package! How do you get that out when it's below your feet?

Oh I hate the drop frames, just like what everyone else says, it's uncomfortable and hurts your back! And especially when you're trying to reach those packages that are right under the rollers, ugh that's why I don't unload anymore

I am noticing less and less 28' foot drop frames too. But like Chev said, they are all being fazed out.

Click to expand...

It's all about money, God forbid UPS has to spend money on portable roller extendo's on the smaller centers before phasing out the drop frame air trailers...
Handling these old drop frame trailers are not fun neither. Some have stubborn landing gears that don't want to go up or down all the way, then when you drop them at a center's primaries they want you to pump up the landing gear as high as possible for that downward incline effect...

I used to love the drop frames. My favorite were the ones with the wide set rollers. If those rollers were in good condition, and the trailer cranked really high, you could unload a 100% in like 20-25 minutes. I could remember the noise of the rollers screaming as the pkgs whizzed down to the belt. They were so fast that the supe would sometimes run up to me and yell for me to stop to let the sort aisle catch up.

I used to love the drop frames. My favorite were the ones with the wide set rollers. If those rollers were in good condition, and the trailer cranked really high, you could unload a 100% in like 20-25 minutes. I could remember the noise of the rollers screaming as the pkgs whizzed down to the belt. They were so fast that the supe would sometimes run up to me and yell for me to stop to let the sort aisle catch up.

Click to expand...

When you get those rollers "screaming
like that, all you have to do for a little while is set a package on them and away it goes.lol

When you get those rollers "screaming
like that, all you have to do for a little while is set a package on them and away it goes.lol

Click to expand...

Yeah, that was the best. Those were the good old days. Now, at my center, they have these rollers on a platform, that extend into the trailers. These are the worst I have ever seen and used. We're a small center, and these things, though newer, are crappy. To top it off, they have a huge drop at the end near the belt, where everything falls off onto the floor.

Another point; Does anyone ever teach the unloaders to put the boxes straight on the rollers, instead of crooked. When unloaded straight, the next box will butt right up to the box ahead making it unlikely to fall off the rollers. I would always put rolls and small pkgs on top of the bigger boxes and let them ride down to the end, this way you don't have to clean up a pile of pkgs when you're done.

That would make a good thread, Preload/Reload Tips, maybe one exists already.

I used to like loading a drop frame trailer. I only unloaded a few times and I remember the top of the drop frame was great, however the bottom was horrible.

As far as an outbound operation, a dropframe was the best weapon to use if the flow increased dramatically and the area backed up. A new drop frame could have 4-6 loaders inside to clean up the mess in a hurry.